BRASILIA – Venezuelan chargé d’affaires Gerardo Antonio Delgado Maldonado was considered a persona non grata on Tuesday by the Brazilian government, days after Caracas kicked out Brazil’s top diplomat Ruy Pereira.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is abiding by the principle of reciprocity.
The Brazilian government informed the Venezuelan representative of its decision.
Venezuela expels top Brazil and Canada envoys for meddling in internal affairs
When someone is declared a persona non grata, they normally have 72 hours to leave the country. The ministry, however, did not stipulate a deadline for Mr. Maldonado to leave.
Mr. Pereira arrived in Brazil a week ago for the holiday season and will not be allowed back into Venezuela as long as the decision still stands.
Mr. Maldonado has been in charge of the Venezuelan embassy in Brasília ever since then-ambassador, Alberto Efraim Castellar Padilla, was summoned back to Venezuela in May of 2016 as a form of protesting against the impeachment of former president Dilma Rousseff.
Caracas has been fiercely pushing back against growing international condemnation of President Nicolas Maduro’s tightening hold on power.
Canada, the U.S., Europe and most Latin American nations have denounced what they call the trampling of democracy and human rights in the country.
Venezuela is facing its worst economic depression in generations. Inflation is quadruple digits. Many middle class and wealthy Venezuelans have fled the country, while the poor in some neighborhoods have taken to creating their own currency in order to barter for goods and services. One dollar is equal to more than 115,000 bolivars.
